Rigging-stretcher



RIGGING STRETGHER.

Patented Peb. 18, 1896.

,ANDREW EGRMMM. PHUYU'UTMQWASHINGTUN. D.C

` rNoModel.) sheets-s888882. x

H. H. PICKENPAGK.' RIGGING STRETHER,

No; 554,884. l Patented Peb. 18, 1898.

UNrTED STAT-ns HANS HENRY PIOKENPACK,

PATENT Enron.

OF BROOKLYN, NEI/V YORK.

RlGGlNG-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 554,834, dated February 18, 1896.

Application led May 25, 1893. Renewed August 3, 1895. Serial No. 558,162. (No model.)

To a/Z whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HANS HENRY FICKEN- PAOK, of Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rigging-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and eXact description thereof, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My present invention relates to riggingstretchers of the general character of that shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 311,605, granted to me February 3, 1895. The rigging-stretcher shown in said patent has been found to be effective and practical in use, but to be capable of improvement in certain particulars and details of construction; and it is the object of my present invention to overcome the defect-s of the construction referred to.

By reason of the fact that in the patented construction the shroud and the stretcher, when the rigging is set up, do not stand in the same plane there is some tendency to separate the two perforated stretcher-plates. As the strain upon the shrouds at times is very great, the bolts and clamps which unite the vstretcher-plate must be made very heavy, as

well as the plates themselves.

It is therefore one object of my invention to modify the construction in such a manner that the strain upon the shroud shall be eX- erted in line with the stretcher-plate, which is directly connected to the chain-plate.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lling-piece to be inserted in one of the perforations of one of the stretcher-plates next to that in which is placed the fastening-bolt, and thereby to distribute the strain and permit the holes in the stretcher-plate to be placed close enough together to permit an easy and nice adjustment without danger of the fastening-bolt breaking through the metal between adjacent perforations.

Another object of my invention is to construct the clasps or straps which unite the two stretcher-plates face to face in such a manner as to prevent their interfering with the operation of the setting-up levers or spikes, and

in such manner as insure free movement ofI the parts in setting up the rigging.

Finally my object is to reduce the cost of manufacture of the stretcher without impairing its strength or effectiveness.

I attain these several objects in the manner hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of my improved stretcher as applied. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line .fr :t of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation in perspective of a different form of the improved stretcher. Fig. 5 is au elevation of a form differing slightly from that shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively front and side elevations of still another form, the thimble-head being shown partly in section in Fig. 7, and the fastening-bolt being also shown. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of aform similar to that shown in Fig. 7, but with some of the parts reversed in position. Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively front and side elevations of a form similar to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7, but with the thimble-head and the plate to which it is attached on the same side of the other stretcherplate, the plates being represented in Fig. 10 partly in vertical section to show the mode of application of the filling-piece. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one form of the clasp or strap. Fig. 12 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 11, but showing a slightly-different form of the strap. Fig. 14. is a perspective view of a form of the improved stretcher in which a clasp or strap is 'formed directly with the thimblchead.

In the diiferent gures of the drawings the side of the vessel is represented in part at A, with the chain-plate B secured thereto in the usual manner. The shroud, which is -to be set up or stretched, is represented at C and as engaging, either directly, as in most of the figures, or indirectly through the medium of a lashing C with the improved stretcher. The latter is composed in general of a plate D, which has a series of perforations and is connected to the chain-plate by a link E or a swivel F (see Fig. 5) or any other suitable means, a plate G, also having a series of perforations and having fixed to it or formed With it what I shall hereinafter term a thimble-head, although it may assume quite dif- IOO ferent yet equivalent forms, and a bolt which is passed through two registering perforations in the two plates, as shown at H in Figs. 7, i) and 10. Preferably, as described in my said patent, the holes in one of the plates D G are farther apart than in the other, and by the use of two marline-spikes K K in the manner described in said patent and indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings accompanying this application, the shrouds may be tightened quickly and easily by one person,the plates being then fastened together by a bolt or pin Il.

The first feature of' my present improvement has for its object to bring the shroud, chainplate and stretcher into a straight line when the strain is applied, so that there may be no tendency of the plates D and G to part. For this purpose the loop or eye of the shroud engages a thimble-head L, which is fixed to or forms a part of the plate G. This thimblehead, in whatever shape it assumes, is formed with a bearing for the eye or loop of the shroud C which is inclined with respect to the plate D and is extended toward said plate snfficiently into line with said plate.

As represented in Figsr l, 2, 3, G, 7, S, 9, 10 and 14, the bearing is shaped to contact with the eye or loop at every point, while, as represented in Figs. 4 and 5, it is not so shaped, but in every case the bight of the loop or eye has a lateral bearing atZ against or toward the plate D, and the standing parts have a bearing at Z in the opposite direction, the relative position of the bearing Z being such as to bring the shroud and the plate D in line.

In the construction shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the thimble-head L is a casting having a clasp or strap Z2 which eneircles both plates D and G to hold them together and is held to the plate G by studs g, the plate G being between the plate D and the thimble-head, so that the bearing of the thimblehead for the loop of the shroud is such as to compel the standing parts of the loop to cross both plates.

rAs represented in Fig. f t, the thimble-head L is formed by a transverse bar or plate which is secured directly to the surface of the bar G by rivets or welding. In this case the strap Z2 is independent of the thimble-head.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the thimble-head L2 is formed by a pin which is inserted through a transverse hole in a casting secured to the surface of the plate G.

In the constructions shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the thimble-head L is secured to the plate G through the medium of the clasp or strap Z2, the plate being riveted to the rear of the clasp and the plate D sliding between the plate G and the thimble-head.

Fig. S presents a construction which is similar to that shown in Figs. G and 7, except that the tl1i1nble-head is secured to the lower end of the plate G instead of to the upper end.

In the forms shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 it is necessary that the bearing of the thimblehead should be so inclined as to cause the standing parts of the loop to cross the plate D only.

The construction shown in Figs. 9 and l0 differs but slightly from that shown in Figs. l and 2, except that the thimble-head Ll is represented as east or welded directly with or to the plate G and that the clasp Z2 is independent of the thimble-head. These lastnamed figures are intended more particularly to illustrate means for fastening the two plates together after they have been adjusted.

Fig. l/f illustrates substantially the form shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the form of the thinible-head L5 and clasp Z2X being varied somewhat, as well as the form of the other clasp,which is used to hold the plates together.

If the conditions of use render it desirable, the plate G with the thimble-head thereon can be reversed end for end. This figure is also intended to show more clearly than the others the relation of the parts of the stretcher.

In order to make it easy to stretch the shrouds very tightly, it is necessary that the holes in one of the plates D or G should be very close together; but I have found that the great strain which is put upon the stretcher at times has a tendency to cause the fasteningbolt II to break through the somewhat thin partition between the hole in which it is placed and the next one. Accordingly I provide a filling-piece or pin M, as shown in Figs. 9 and l0, which may be attached to the stretcher by a cord and is inserted in the hole next above the pin or bolt II, and, fitting snugly therein, serves to distribute the pressure upon the partition below it in part to the partition next above. The necessity for making the holes in the plates close together also requires the straps Z2 and Z3 to be modified somewhat in order that they may not interfere with the action of the spikes K when the rigging is bcing stretched, nor with the insertion of the fastening pin or bolt II in any of. the holes in the two plates which happen to register. Therefore the front and rear plates of the straps are reduced in width, as at ZVl in Figs. l1 and 12.

As shown in Fig. 13, either the front plate or the rear plate of the clamp might have its middle part eut out entirely, leaving simply ears Z5 to bear upon the plate D. Preferably the clasps or straps, when independent of the thimble-head, are secured to the shorter of the plates D G by rivets, and in order to per mit the free movement of the other plate D or G through the strap when the parts are being first brought together, the inner surface of the sides of cach strap are beveled or rounded, as at Z, so that the danger of' binding diminished.

The fastening-.bolt II maybe held in place after the shroud has been stretched by any convenient means. In Fig. 10 I have shown a split pin h, and in Figs. 7 and 10 as well I have shown a nut 7L. I prefer to attach ICO IIO

the bolt itself and the nut to the stretcher by cords, as indicated in dotted lines, in order that they maybe always at hand when wanted.

In order that the range of the stretcher may be considerable, and yet that the freedom of :movement of the parts may not be interfered with, I make one plate much longer than was the corresponding plate, as shown in my said patent, and fix a spreader N in the upper end of the loop which engages the thimble-head` As shown in Fig. 4, the loop is formed in the shroud itself, while in Fig. 5 the loop is formed independently of the shroud by a lanyard, which can be taken up more or less as desired and is sufficiently elastic to form a cushion and diminish the effect of sudden strains. The sides of the loop are thus kept parallel and do not interfere with the free movement of the plate between them and in the same plane. f

In the several figures of the drawings I have represented the shroud as connected to the thimble-head L, but it is obvious that, if desired, the shroud might be connected to the plate D and the thimble-head L be engaged by a loop secured to the chain-plate. The variations of the relations of the different parts of the stretcher which might be rendered desirable by such a change in the mode of use, or for any other reason, clearly may be made Without in any way departing from my invention.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of two plates having each a longitudinal series of holes, one of said plates being adapted to be connected to one part of the rigging to be stretched, a thimblehead secured to the other of said plates and adapted to be engaged by a loop of the other part of the rigging to be stretched, said thimble-head having a bearing for engagement with the loop of the rigging which is inclined across the plane of the plate to which the thimble is attached, whereby the standing parts of the loops are brought into line with the other of said plates, and means to fasten said plates together.

2. The combination of two plates having each a longitudinal series of holes, one of said plates being adapted to be connected to one part of the rigging to be stretched, a thimblehead secured to the other of said plates, means to slidably secure said plates together, a loop formed in the other part of said rigging and adapted at one end to engage said thimblehead, and a spreader fixed in the other end of said loop.

3. The combination of two plates having each a longitudinal series of holes, one of said plates being adapted to be connected to one part of the rigging to be stretched, a thimblehead secured to the other of said plates and adapted to be engaged by the other part of the rigging to be stretched, a bolt entering through registering holes in said plates to fasten them together, and a iilling-piece inserted in the adjacent hole in the direction of the strain to distribute the pressure, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of two plates having each a longitudinal series of holes, one of said plates being adapted to be connected to one part of the rigging to be stretched, a thimblehead secured to the other of said plates and adapted to be engaged by the other part of the rigging to be stretched, a bolt entered through registering holes in said plates to secure them together, and clasps or straps encircling both of said plates and having their front o r rear parts cut away to prevent interference with the holes in said plates.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS HENRY PICKENPACK. Witnesses:

A. N. JEsBERA, A. WIDDER. 

